thinking of flying....a few questions??

[PaDisney02]

Hi I am thinking of flying to Disney, but I have never been on an air plane b4. I have a few questions....

I heard you can not take anything liquid on an air plane, is that true? What about shampoo and stuff like that?

I also wanted to take drinks and snacks for my kids to eat at the resort, if I fly how would I get them there? I have heard some people have food shipped to the resort from a local grocery store, any tips?

My aunt was telling me that anytime she has ever flew with a large group the seats were not next to eachother. She has said that she and her husband have already been on opposit ends of the plane....will this happen with my kids? I want us all to be next to each other.

My son is 3 but he will probably end up sitting on my lap. Do I still need to buy him a ticket? Will they make me verify his age?

Is the magical express transportation to my resort free?

If I decide to fly should I book my flight with the same travel agent I booked disney through or should I try to get a good deal on a cheap ticket web site?

Sorry for all the questions! Thanks!

 

[WDWAG]

Hi I am thinking of flying to Disney, but I have never been on an air plane b4. I have a few questions....

I heard you can not take anything liquid on an air plane, is that true? What about shampoo and stuff like that?

I also wanted to take drinks and snacks for my kids to eat at the resort, if I fly how would I get them there? I have heard some people have food shipped to the resort from a local grocery store, any tips?

My aunt was telling me that anytime she has ever flew with a large group the seats were not next to eachother. She has said that she and her husband have already been on opposit ends of the plane....will this happen with my kids? I want us all to be next to each other.

My son is 3 but he will probably end up sitting on my lap. Do I still need to buy him a ticket? Will they make me verify his age?

Is the magical express transportation to my resort free?

If I decide to fly should I book my flight with the same travel agent I booked disney through or should I try to get a good deal on a cheap ticket web site?

Sorry for all the questions! Thanks!

Flying is so exciting, you're going to love it. You asked some great questions too. Lets go step-by-step.

You can bring liquids on a plane but if you want to carry them on with you to your seat, they need to be less than 3 ounces. If they are larger, security will confiscate them. They also need to be in a zip-lock bag. If you want to put your liquids in your luggage and check it, they can be any size, but still need to be in a zip-lock bag. For more info, check out TSA.gov

Drinks and snacks are ok, but again, drinks won't be allowed on carry-ons. They will need to be checked with your luggage. Shipping to your resort is fine, but expensive. You can get the shipping address and instructions by calling Disney.

Airlines will not split you up if you are traveling with children. You didn't mention how many people are traveling with you but they will seat you all together. I would double check with the airline prior to boarding at the airline counter just to remind them.

Your 3 year old will be charged for a seat. Airlines sell "seats" and every passenger must have a seat, even toddlers. You can call your airline just to be sure, but almost certainly they will charge you full fare.

Magical Express is free and they only service Walt Disney World resorts. The only exception is the WDW Swan and Dolphin. They do not have ME service.

I'm a Disney Vacation Planner and I can tell you that it's easier if you book your own flights. Try farecast.com or the official website of the airline for the best rates.

Hope this helps

 

[Tara]

Hi I am thinking of flying to Disney, but I have never been on an air plane b4. I have a few questions....

Flying can be a lot of fun, but I'm sure can seem overwhelming if you've never done it!

I heard you can not take anything liquid on an air plane, is that true? What about shampoo and stuff like that?

Each passenger is allowed 1 quart-sized, clear plastic bag that contains liquids. Each container within the bag must hold no more than 3.4 ounces (100ml). In other words, you can't have a 6oz bottle with 1oz of liquid. Medications do not count here - you can carry more than 3.4oz and liquid meds do not have to fit in the quart-sized bag.

What you can and can't carry is listed here: http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

I also wanted to take drinks and snacks for my kids to eat at the resort, if I fly how would I get them there? I have heard some people have food shipped to the resort from a local grocery store, any tips?

Some people ship non-perishables themselves via USPS or UPS/FedEx. There are also a couple of companies that offer grocery delivery services - Wegoshop and Garden Grocer. I've heard better things about Garden Grocer but have never used either service. You can also check a bag with food items, but be careful to not pack anything that could leak. And be careful not to pack that piece of luggage too full - you don't want to end up paying an overweight bag fee!

My aunt was telling me that anytime she has ever flew with a large group the seats were not next to eachother. She has said that she and her husband have already been on opposit ends of the plane....will this happen with my kids? I want us all to be next to each other.

I fly all the time and have never been separated from my party. In almost all cases you will be able to choose your seat assignments when you purchase. However, if you can't, that doesn't mean you won't be able to sit together. If you get to the airport a little earlier than you would normally need to be there, you can ask the agent at the boarding gate to put your family together - they will typically make an effort to do this for you.

How many people are in your family? (that are going on this trip)

My son is 3 but he will probably end up sitting on my lap. Do I still need to buy him a ticket? Will they make me verify his age?

Yes, your son will need to have a ticket. Domestic air carriers require all children over age 2 to be ticketed. Some airlines offer child fares, but they are special fares that are a small discount off full fares - I've never encountered a child fare that was cheaper than the lowest available regular coach fare.

In any case, I'd advise you to keep your son buckled in as much as possible. Turbulence is unpredictable and injures far more people than the rare crashes we hear about on the news. It might seem difficult, but IMHO it has to be one of those non-negotiable things like being in a car seat in a car. Just my advice.

Is the magical express transportation to my resort free?

Yes, absolutely free, though if you have any baggage that the driver to the resort handles herself/himself, it is customary to tip $1-$2 per bag. Tip for the staff person who delivers the bag to your room is included in the service. If you take your baggage on the Magical Express bus back to the airport instead of checking it at the hotel, it is also customary to tip the driver who handles your bag/bags.

If I decide to fly should I book my flight with the same travel agent I booked disney through or should I try to get a good deal on a cheap ticket web site?

If you trust your travel agent, then sure, go through that person. However, if you need to make any changes, you'll have to go through that agent rather than dealing with the airline yourself. If you are feeling confident enough, you can easily book it yourself. I'd recommend pricing flights on a site like Travelocity or Expedia. Once you find flights that work for you at a price you like, go directly to that airline's website and compare the price - this can sometimes save you a little.

Sorry for all the questions! Thanks!

You've come to the right place - ask all you want! There are plenty of people here who are glad to help. Good luck!

 

[crashbb]

Especially if you are flying an airline that charges for seat selection (Spirit and AirTran come to mind) and you choose not to pay for seat selection, be prepared that you may be separated from the rest of your party.

If you do not pre-select seats, you will automatically be assigned seats at check-in (and you can change what the computer automatically gives you) and the computer will attempt to put you all together. HOWEVER, if there are no seats together, you will be split up. The airline will not move people who paid for their seats (or checked in earlier and already chose seats) to sit you together - even if you have children. The bigger your group, the more likely you are to be separated.

ETA - the PP is incorrect. If you put liquids in checked luggage, there is no rule about them being in a ziploc. It is a good idea to do so (in case of leaks), but absolutely no rule about it.

 

[Jestocost]

My son is 3 but he will probably end up sitting on my lap.

I think most of your questions have been adequately addressed, but wanted to point out one thing with regard to this issue. You should be aware that your child will need to be in his seat and buckled in for both take off and landing. They will allow him to be on your lap during the rest of the flight unless the flight is very rough, but they will not allow him to be in your lap for take off or landing.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

My son is 3 but he will probably end up sitting on my lap.

I want to add here that you might want to consider bringing your son's car seat with you on the plane. Most all car seats are FAA approved. If he is still in a 5 point harness seat, as opposed to a booster, he may be more comfortable and you may have a more enjoyable flight. If he is used to traveling in his car seat in the car, he will know that he needs to stay put in his car seat in a plane too.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Just want to add that you are permitted to carry liquids on to the plane. But you can't bring them through security unless less that 3.4 oz and all in a quart sized plastic bag. Yhis means you can buy drinks once you are inside security and then carry them onto the plane.

 

[WillCAD]

Flying is not only a LOT quicker than driving long distances, it's also lots of fun, especially for the kids. I say, go for it!

Once you make your decision, come back and ask more questions, and we'll talk you through the whole booking process, soup to nuts, and the prep phase, and the actual boarding, flying, and deplanining process, so you'll know what to expect.

Just like anything else in life, preparation and advanced knowledge are the keys to success.

There are a lot of very experienced fliers on the Transportation board who can answer just about any question you come up with.

 

[Missytara]

My stepbrother and sister-in-law took their two sons for the first time last year; one was 8 and the other was 9. My stepbrother had only flown once, and my sister-in-law and two nephews had never flown before. Only my sister-in-law had ever been to Disney.

She was very nervous, so we told her that she had to be excited for the kids. Once she thought about keeping it upbeat for the kids, she wasn't nearly as nervous. She also made up a backpack for each one with snacks and games and stuff to do. We are about two hours gate to gate from MCO.

My nephews commented that if Disney was as much fun as the plane ride, they knew it was going to be awesome! They loved the plane ride and almost couldn't wait to go home, so they could do it again!

 

[TheWog]

Have you decided what airline you are flying? SW does not have assigned seating, but the likelihood of you sitting together is great, particularly if you check in at the 24 hour open window. You can not bring large shampoo bottles on the plane in your carry on, but you can check them in your luggage that goes underneath. You can bring bottled drinks on the plane with you, they just need to be purchased once you have made it through security. Snacks and drinks for the resort can be ordered through a delivery service such as www.gardengrocer.com or similar. We used them when we went in April and thought it was worth it. You can get breakfast foods, snacks, drinks, etc. and it will be at the resort when you arrive and in your room shortly thereafter. I wouldn’t buy them and ship them, just isn’t worth the hassle.

If you want to use DME and take advantage of the luggage delivery perk you should arrive prior to 10:00 p.m. They no longer deliver your luggage if you arrive after that time. You need to retrieve it yourself from the carousel and bring it on the bus with you. There is no additional cost to use DME.

If you can fly JetBlue (not sure where you are flying from) they have tvs right at each seat. This helps younger children (and adults) pass the time. Their service is also excellent and prices are usually competitive. While other airlines do a great job as well, we are partial to JB for now. We are usually a party of 3 and have never been separated on our scheduled flight. If you purchase in advance and reserve your seats you will usually end up sitting with your party with no issues. Use some sort of search engine (Orbitz, Travelocity, etc.) to determine flights that are convenient for you, but then book directly with the airline you choose. Please note Southwest will not show up and usually JB won’t either.

 

[PaDisney02]

Thank you all so much for all your advice. All my questions were answered! I'll let you know if I have more. Thanks again!